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I lie in bed listening to the whispers from the room next door. A torrent of giggles comes rushing down the hall, and I glance at the clock. Twelve forty-five! Those irksome insomniacs next door are disturbing my slumber. But I smile. You see, one of my tormentors is my 11-year-old daughter, and her rowdy accomplice is her aunt, my sister. The fact they're so obviously enjoying each other's company warms my heart. Family always does.
Family. God created it as a built-in support system. Until recent years, families lived together in tight-knit groups, trusting and relying on each other every day. But nowadays it isn't uncommon for a family to span the country or even the globe. It seems today's society has tried to diminish the importance of family. Deep down, though, we all need that connection, that feeling of security and belonging. But with extended family so scattered and our lives so busy, how can we bring back the feelings that come from being part of a close-knit clan? Here are a few ideas that might help keep your family circle tight.
1. An "Extended" Family AlbumWe've all heard the old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind!" How true this can be when it comes to far-flung family members! My children haven't had much exposure to my husband's extended family, so I wasn't surprised by the reaction I received from my seven-year-old when my spouse's sister came for a visit. My daughter looked at me suspiciously and said, "I didn't know I had an Aunt Janet. Do I have any other aunts I don't know about?" After I assured her there were no more mysterious relatives lurking anywhere, I seized the opportunity to give her a thorough rundown of her paternal family tree.
The exchange opened my eyes: If I wanted my daughter to know all the aunts, uncles, and cousins my husband and I hold dear, I needed to get busy, and fast! So I grabbed as many family photos as I could find, placed them in an album, and identified each person by name and relation (e.g. Mary Smith, second cousin). Not only did it acquaint my children with some rarely seen faces, it also provided them with a sense of belonging to a larger unit.
2. The Digital ConnectionOf course, keeping in touch in a "geographically challenged" family involves more than creating a photo album. The Internet provides several great ways to stay connected across the miles. My friend Michele set up her own website for her across-the-country crew. She included pictures of her girls, news from her home, and even a guest book so she could see who had visited the site and forward them a personal note.
"My mom looks at it a lot to see the pictures of the kids," Michele says. "We have relatives in Seattle, Denver, Birmingham ... they can watch my children grow!"
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